Remove Uber, Ola, Rapido From App Stores: Maharashtra On Bike Taxi Ops

Cracking down on bike taxis, which have been banned in the state, the Maharashtra government has written to Google and Apple asking for the removal of apps like Uber, Ola and Rapido from their app stores. 

"It has been observed that certain app-based platforms are operating passenger transport services on a large scale through bike taxi operations without obtaining valid permissions, government approvals, or compliance with the rules and regulations prescribed by the Transport Department and the provisions of the Motor Vehicles Act," the office of the Additional Director General of Police, Maharashtra Cyber, wrote to the tech giants. 

The unauthorised bike taxi operations, the Maharashtra cyber department said, pose a serious threat to passenger safety. 

"It has been reported that driver verification mechanisms, insurance protections, women's safety measures, and emergency response systems are highly inadequate. Further, the rash and negligent driving commonly associated with such bike taxi operations creates a substantial risk to public safety. Recently, a serious incident came to light wherein a bike taxi service operated through one of these applications allegedly resulted in the tragic death of a woman. A criminal case has been registered in this regard, and several similar cases have reportedly been registered across various parts of Maharashtra," it said. 

The department emphasised that such bike taxi services are being run primarily for financial gain while disregarding the legal framework in the state and asked the companies to remove the apps, and disable access to them, from the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. 

"Since your organisation has a physical presence and conducts business in India, it is subject to the jurisdiction of Indian laws. Failure to comply with directives from Indian law enforcement agencies may result in serious legal action against you. You are hereby warned that if any unlawful or disruptive incident occurs due to your failure to take timely action, you will be held liable," the notice said. 

Maharashtra Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik on Saturday also directed the cyber department to lodge FIRs against Ola, Uber and Rapido over their bike taxi operations in the state.

The actions came amid claims circulating on social media that the services of these app-based aggregators had been completely shut down in Maharashtra.

In a post on X, the Directorate General of Information and Public Relations (DGIPR), Maharashtra, clarified that the government's action is limited only to illegal bike taxi operations.

महाराष्ट्रात ओला, उबर आणि रॅपिडोच्या सर्व सेवा पूर्णपणे बंद करण्यात आल्याचा सोशल मीडियावरील दावा दिशाभूल करणारा आहे. #FactCheck #DGIPRFactCheck

राज्यात बेकायदेशीरपणे सुरू असलेल्या अनधिकृत बाईक टॅक्सी सेवांविरोधात परिवहन विभागाने कठोर भूमिका घेतली आहे. #ओला, #उबर आणि #रॅपिडो… pic.twitter.com/69jjCPbNbc

— MAHARASHTRA DGIPR (@MahaDGIPR) May 15, 2026

"The claim circulating on social media that all services of Ola, Uber, and Rapido have been completely shut down in Maharashtra is misleading," it said.